Into the Shadows
by Hogshire
Summary: SEQUEL TO WINNING HER LOVE! Voldemort's after James and for his friends he's fled to who knows where. Lily and Sirius are determined to find him. Will they be successful? James & Lily's story up until that fateful Halloween night.
1. Chapter 1

_HEY GUYS! Here's the beginning of the sequel to "Winning Her Love." Mucho thanks to PranksterAngel for her honesty (:-P) and then the wonderful title! Enjoy!_

**Into the Shadows**

Chapter 1: The Shadows Around Us

The night was like a dark black abyss that sucked her in. There was no company, yet no privacy. No noise, yet no silence. The emptiness hit her ear drums like a mallet beat a gong. There was no escape. No light.

No light.

Lily was huddled in the corner of her bedroom. Arms wrapped around her legs and chin resting on her knees she lay there, waiting, praying for the first rays of sunlight to reach her eastward window.

The silent form of Samantha lay in the bed across the small room. Her blonde hair was sprayed across her pillow and her chest rose and fell with her every breath. One night a week previous Lily had decided to count every breath Sam took during the night. She had stopped after 3,000, knowing it was pointless to keep on going. Still, it got so boring in her little corner all through the night.

At first it was the dark that got to her. Pooky was there to keep her safe before, but he was gone now, along with... She had to go to a special store in Diagon Alley to get an enchanted crystal the held light within it. It was a secret purchase; she didn't want anyone to know that she had developed a fear of the dark at the age of 18. During the day she hid it under her pillow and when she was sure that her roommate had fallen asleep, she would take it out and begin the endless wait.

Then it had been stomach aches - Lily had no idea where they had come from, and no potions she tried would help. Even with Jill studying as a healer and giving Lily all sorts of different treatments for them, nothing would make them cease. With her crystal next to her and a pillow clutched to her stomach she would sit through the night alone. Lily seemed alone all of the time those days. It was as if her insides were gone and she was hollow.

Everyone was too busy or tired to notice what was wrong with Lily. Sam, Sirius, and Lily herself were preparing to go into auror training and were flanked with endless amounts of paperwork sent from Alastor Moody, the head of the department at the Ministry. Before they could even go to training they had to fill out those forms and take evaluations of their magical ability.

Jill was going into healer training, which meant constant studying and long days as an intern at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Shayla had just gotten a desk job at Gringott's Bank; it was required for people going into Curse Breaking to work at the bank itself for at least a six-month period.

Remus, on the other hand was not yet employed due to his... "furry little problem." Every morning he'd set out and look all over the magical community for a job, and late at night he'd come home exhausted and collapse into bed. It did not help that it was two weeks until the full moon came again.

The four girls were the first to find lodgings in a small flat on the edge of magical London. It was one step short of a hovel, but in those days they were lucky to get anything. It had a miniscule kitchen and a small sitting room right next to it. There was also a narrow hallway which led to two bedrooms - one shared by Jill and Shayla, and the other by Lily and Sam; those were barely 12 feet across and 12 feet wide (and painted a most horrid color, as Sam often pointed out). In the last corner of the flat was a bathroom with a small, round shower, a sink, and a toilet. Living there was not easy, but the girls were happy to be together.

The two males, on the other hand, had had a difficult time finding a place to live. Sirius had to go and collect his things from the Potter's old house (He had really went there to check for James, but alas, his best friend was nowhere to be seen - his things cleared out as well). They had wandered like wizard nomads for days before the girls intervened and asked their landlady - a kind, elderly squib - if there was another apartment available. The boys had gotten the top floor - the entire place was maybe 20 square feet. Sirius and Remus basically just used it as a bedroom and study and went to the girls apartment to use the bathroom and kitchen.

Rent was hard to come by. The females relied on Shayla's small income and donations given by their generous parents. The boys relied on Sirius' inheritance from the Potters, which was not small, thank Merlin.

But the one thing Lily cared about was James.

Why did he leave? What was the use? Where was he? There were endless questions! All Lily had to remember him by was the faint feeling of his last kiss, a picture, and a letter.

_Dear Lily,_

_I bet you're wondering why you've woken up to find a letter right next to you. Well, here's the truth - I'm leaving. Please, don't be angry with me. I don't have a choice though. I need to do what's best for you, my love. You were kidnapped by a Death Eater acting on Voldemort's orders. _

_Why do you think Voldemort wants you? It's because you're my girlfriend. He killed my parents and now he wants to finish off the entire Potter line. I won't... I can't let you be in danger like that all of the time._

_I'm going into hiding and I'm not telling anyone where I'm headed. No one will know, so don't be saddened that you don't know either. It's for the best, I promise you. Lily, I hope that one day this will all be over and we can be together safely. Until then, consider this an indefinite goodbye._

_I love you so much... more than I could ever tell you.__ Forget about me. Even though I will always remember you._

_James Potter_

--------------------------------

Sunday was the entire group's only day off. Most of them spent it sleeping, i.e. Sirius, Sam, and Remus. However, Jill spent it studying and Lily and Shayla (who took a late shift at Gringotts on Sundays) found themselves come over with a serious case of Chronic Sighing Disorder.

_Sigh._

_Sighhh..._

_Siiiiiiiiiiggggggghhhhhhhhh..._

_Sigh._

_Siiiiiiiiiiiigh._

_SiGh._

_sIgH._

_SIGH._

_Crack!_

Jill had snapped her quill in two. "In the name of bloody Merlin's beard if you two don't stop wallowing in your misery I will personally throw you out of this flat using force - don't think I won't do it little Miss Sigh over there! I am trying to memorize fifteen different ways to stop a nosebleed and it is not fun! Don't underestimate a Jones on the edge!"

"Sorry, Jill," Lily and Shayla said in unison and fell silent.

Lily's reason for sighing was obvious enough. Shayla was sighing because after graduation, which had been two weeks previous, no one had heard from Peter at all. Shayla was sick out of her mind with worry and guilt. Lily had put it in one word: love. The french girl had denied it at first, but after she got to thinking (in french, like most deep thinking is) there could be no other explanation for her sorrow.

And so the two girls sighed... when not in the presence of Jill.

It was nearing 4:00 in the afternoon when Sirius finally decided to join the land of the living. Lily went to open the door for him and without even a simple "hello" he walked briskly in, half-jogging to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. Lily rolled her eyes and returned to her place on the couch. Sirius always ate half of their refrigerator on Sundays, when he had time.

Sirius walked into the sitting room with a box of cereal and a carton of milk. He proceeded to pour cereal into his mouth and then chug the milk carton until they were both empty. Tossing them into the garbage can, which was 10 feet away, he then proceeded to go into the bathroom, and was not seen for an hour.

Now, don't be afraid. This was normal.

An hour later Sirius cam out of the bathroom smelling fresh due to his shower. "Well, lassies. Who's up for an early dinner in London - my treat!"

"You've just eaten!" Lily said.

"Ah, too true, Lily, but alas, I am hungry again with this spiffing metabolism of mine. Now, I know at least one of you wants to come and keep me company." he put on a puppy-dog face and pretended to beg.

"Oh Sirius, I cannot. I must be at Gringotts een an 'our." Shayla told him with a small frown.

"Don't bother me, I'm studying!" Jill snapped and turned back to her books.

Sirius smiled and looked at Lily. He began to approach her and said, "Lily-flower, you know that you would just love to come with me."

Lily rolled her eyes, "Very well, then, Sirius." He did an exciting jump in the air and grabbed Lily's hand as they sped out the door.

It was a peaceful, warm July afternoon as the strolled down a small, deserted street. Sirius was happy; he had wanted to get Lily alone for quite some time now. The truth was, Sirius was almost as affected by James' departure as Lily was. Plus, Sirius didn't even have a note to remember him by - just a picture of the Potter family that he had taken from their house.

They made their was to a main road in London with many different people strolling by. Their destination was reached fifteen minutes later: a small café which served food and had the best coffee anywhere, as was the opinion of Sirius and Lily. They ordered their food and then sat down across from each other at a small circular table outside.

There was a long, awkward, silent moment before Sirius decided to get straight to the point. "Lily," he said.

"Yes, Sirius?" she replied.

Sirius sighed, "I've been meaning to talk to you alone ever since we left Hogwarts two weeks ago."

Lily pushed her eyebrows together and looked at him confusedly, "Why?"

"Because..." Sirius thought for a moment, "Alright, I want to go and look for James." Lily reacted as he had expected her to. She looked shocked for all of five seconds and then hope filled her eyes. "Really?" she asked. "You have an idea where he might be?"

"Not exactly..." he started, and then continued on quickly. "But there are a lot of places that he and his family went that he might be able to go. His family owned a lot of estates in England - they were rather wealthy, and I intend to look under every rock until I find him."

Lily grinned, "Oh Sirius! We simply have to find him - we have to! _No one_ leaves like that without saying a proper goodbye, and no way did he leave for the right reasons."

Sirius smiled, "Precisely," he leaned in over the table, closer to her, "But, Lily-flower, we need to keep this quiet from the others. You know what they'll due if they find out."

"Ah, yes..." Lily replied. The others would not want them going off to find James, but want to keep them close together.

"So, say we start an expedition next week when all of our paperwork will be finished - and we get that week of before our evaluations."

"Alright, Sirius," Lily said with a small smile. Just maybe they would find him.

-----------------------------------------

Meanwhile, in the Forbidden Forest, one lone man faced his boss. Peter knew that he could not refuse Voldemort and had to bring Shayla to him, but he feared what the Dark Lord would do to her. Peter could not stand it if she got hurt - he loved her with all his heart. Alas, that was what Voldemort would never understand.

"My Lord..." Peter began.

"Yes, Wormtail?" Voldemort glared at him with contempt.

"It is about the girl, My Lord - Shayla Divine..." Peter said.

"Ah, the girl you are to bring to me within two weeks."

"Two weeks, My Lord?" the boy exclaimed.

Voldemort's features sharpened, "Two weeks, Wormtail! I believe that a month is perfectly enough time to get a small, weak girl here."

Peter's eyes widened. He did not even know if Shayla would forgive him for their fight all that time ago. At any rate, he had to try.

"Two weeks, Wormtail... or else."

--------------------------------------

The sun was red as it set that night. James Potter sat watching the last dim rays of light sink under the horizon. He was sitting facing west leaning against a sturdy oak tree. Even after the sun was well gone and the moon was fully visible in the night sky, James sat there, thinking.

He thought of where he was going to go next. He thought of what he could eat that night. He thought of why he was just sitting there when he could be moving. He thought of his friends and how their lives are going.

He thought of Lily.

_Sigh._

James got to his feet and started to make his way down the smal dirt road. In the distance the lights of a small village flickered. he shoved his hands into the pockets of his cloak and looked down at his shoes for the rest of the walk. Fifteen minutes later he arrived at the entrance to the village. A sign read:

_Welcome to Godric's Hollow!_

James was momentarily stunned. He knew he was somewhere in southwestern England, but he had no idea he was near Godric's Hollow! Memories of his childhood flashed through his mind. This was where he was raised ever up until it was time to go to Hogwarts! That was when they had relocated to their house outside of London; there it was easier to get to King's Cross and easier for James' parents to get to work.

But, oh what times they had had. James remembered the first time his father had taken him on a broomstick. He remembered helping his mother garden in the back yard. He remembered eleven years of his life before Hogwarts - when everything had been so simple and carefree and happy.

Happiness. What was it anymore?

James sighed an walked into the village. Street lights lined the deserted road. James looked around to get his bearings and walked the streets until he found what he was looking for: his old house.

It looked just as he remembered it. It was as if nothing had changed. At first he'd half-expected to walk in to find his parents in the sitting room, father reading the evening _Prophet_ and mother digging into one of her old novels.

But when he entered the house it was deserted. There was an inch-thick coat of dust on everything. James just stood there in the entrance hall, looking around for all of 10 minutes. Then there was a loud knock on the door. James nearly jumped to the ceiling from shock. He walked back and opened the door.

Staring back at his was none other than Bathilda Bagshot.

"James!?" the elderly witch exclaimed.

"...Mrs. Bagshot!?" James responded.

"Oh please, my dear boy, you're not nine anymore - call me Batty." The lady smiled back at James.

James was absolutely dumbfounded. Mrs. Bag- err... Batty had been his neighbor while he had lived in Godric's Hollow. She was like an unofficial grandmother to James and had even kept sending him Christmas cards and letters every now-and-then since he left. It was so great to see her again.

"James, my dear... I don't think you should really sleep in here tonight - dust is simply _everywhere_! Come on, my boy, you'd better stay with me tonight, eh? Just like old times!"

James could not help but smile, "Just like old times..."

-------------------------------------------

**A/N: **_Hey guys! New story up pretty quick, huh? It was mostly the title holding us back. Again, thank you PranksterAngel! We hope this was a good start to the sequel. Don't forget to review!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Into the Shadows**

Chapter 2: Whose Title Escapes Me

"James! It's tea time, sweet, come on down." Bathilda called up the stairs.

James called back, "Alright, Batty!"

It had been near on five days since he had taken refuge. It was a beautiful friday afternoon in July. It felt like a different life to James, as if he were ten years old again. Bathilda had been wonderful, not pushing James to confide and not asking any hard questions that James knew he would not like to answer. James just forgot about the two weeks before he had arrived and relaxed.

James ran down the staircase and into the sitting room. He took a seat on the dusty old couch next the the fireplace. He then smiled when Bathilda hobbled in carrying a tea tray and set it down on the coffee table.

"Now tell me, dear, how did you finally decide to come and visit your old abode. I have missed you all these years." Bathilda handed James a cup of tea and sat next to him on the couch in her small sitting room.

James had been taking a sip of his tea and it nearly went out of his nose when he heard her. "Ahem - uh, come again?"

Bathilda gave James a knowing look. "Come now, James, you have been here for five days. Did you think that I'd forgotten that you showed up at your old house, dirty, tired, with this forsaken look on you face." the woman shook her head. "No, dear, I haven't forgotten, and I won't forget either." She reached over and caressed his cheek, "Don't you think that it's time to stop pretending your a chid again?"

James looked away. He knew that was he was doing was immature and would not help him solve his problems in any way whatsoever. However, that did not mean that he would admit to it. "No! You don't understand!"

"You're right." Bathilda told him, "I don't understand and I cannot understand until you explain to me."

James sighed. (It seemed that CSD was going around England that year.) "Alright, just give me a minute. I'll explain."

Sam let out a satisfied breath. The remnants of her rather large sandwich lay on the plastic plate on their kitchen table. She hadn't had time to have a meal like that in ages, but that afternoon they handed in the last of their paperwork to the auror office. All of the applicants now had a week off before the accepted and rejected people were informed.

It had been a hard few weeks. The apartment was a mess and everyone was busy all of the time. Especially Remus. Sam was particularly worried about his state of mind. He looked tired, worn-out and forlorn every time she laid eyes on him. The only moments that he was partially happy was when he was spending time with Jill, and with Jill's medi-witch training, those moments were scarce.

As she swept the plate into the trash bin, Sam heard voices coming from her room. It sounded like Lily and Sirius, but she wasn't very sure, so she walked down the narrow hallway to her half-open doorway.

"…but its gonna crush them to know we're gone, I'm having second thoughts Sirius, we can't just leave!" This sounded like Lily.

"Lily don't you see? We have to go, and we can't tell them what's going on, they'll try and stop us! Lily-pad don't back out on me now! I need you!" the male (Sam was positive it was Sirius) implored.

Sam hear a sniff; it sounded like Lily was crying. "Now, now, Lily, don't turn on the waterworks. It'll be okay, I'm sure they'll forgive us in time."

"Okay, Sirius, I hope you're right." Sam took this opportunity to peek inside, only to find Sirius and Lily hugging. Luckily, their backs were to the door and Sam could slip away unnoticed.

What was going on?

The two of them were leaving. Together. Without her. Just the two of them. Back at Hogwarts, Sam felt so ashamed when she had thought Sirius would cheat on her. Lord, how she loved him so, Sam was just afraid to lose him. And now she finds out that they're leaving? How could Sirius do this to her? How could Lily? Lily, her supposed best friend, was stealing her boyfriend? What about James? Lily was heartbroken when he left and now she seems to have forgotten all about him and she's helping Sirius do the same thing.

Oh no, Sam could not let them leave.

"So you mean to say that you abandoned your friends just so that you could keep them safe?" Bathilda asked James.

"Well... that's the short of it, yes." he replied.

"Foolish boy!" the old woman yelled.

James was taken aback.

"I would very much love to see how that small brain of yours processes - if there is a brain at all!" Bathilda said, "Which at this point, I seriously doubt."

"Don't say that!" James jumped up and pointed his finger at the old woman, "Don't say I abandoned them, because O hadn't a choice in the matter. What would you expect me to do? Just go on living my life while Voldemort's off planning a war? I can put my friends in danger like that! I love them!"

Bathilda smiled. "Well, now _that's_ what I expected to hear. Sit down, James, let's stop all of this yelling and finger pointing, it's simply not civilized." She took a sip of her tea.

James, taken aback once again, sat down on the sofa.

"Now James, dear, I know you don't want to hear this, but I simply have to tell you - you took the wrong course of action in your situation." She told him.

"What do you mean?" James said, "Did you not hear me? There's a war! And You-Know-Who's after me!"

"Precisely!" she said with fervor, "James, there is a war about to begin, and so you must keep your loved ones close. Now, those friends are all you have left - don't be sad now, your parents died honorably and that's that."

James looked at Bathilda in the eye, "Yes I - I know."

"So go and find your friends. And see to it that you bring them all to visit one day, I'm dying to meet them all!"

James grinned, "Yes - you're right! I should go find them... but how am I to do it? I haven't a clue where they all are now."

"Now, that's where you're wrong, my boy. When I visited St. Mungo's the other day for my back pain potions. There was a lovely girl there - in medi-witch training, she told me. As I was waiting for the healer to get my potions, she told me about her situation - you'll find that people really do love to open-up to old witches - and she ended up telling me everything, where she lived, too."

James looked confused. "How is that to help me?"

Smiling, Bathilda said, "Her name was Jill."

James looked at Bathilda in wonder. "Batty, you've done it! I - I can't imagine how - but why - and you are a marvelous witch if I ever knew one!"

The woman laughed, "Now, now, boy stop this at once. I don't have the address, mind you, just a rough location. You'll have to do some spying in order to find out which apartment they reside in. Somewhere to the east of muggle London - a rather shabby and small apartment building she said, painted blue."

James would find them - he was sure of it!

"Yes! I've found them - this time I'm positive!" Peter Pettigrew stood on a street somewhere in London. He wore a hood on his head to hide his face, even though it was the middle of the night and no one was outside.

He stood across the street from a shabby apartment building. But this was no ordinary apartment building - in one of those flats lived Shayla Divine. Peter had been staking out the building for around three days now, and he had seen more than once (whenever he didn't fall asleep, of course) Lily and Remus walk out of the building, and also one time, Jill walking back in. Now, if those people lived there, then Shayla did as well - or at least they would know how to find her.

Peter hadn't a clue of how he was to get Shayla's affections back. And even if he did, he was at a loss as to how to convince the girl to come for a nice visit to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named! It was impossible! But still, Peter had to at least try. All he had was his life to lose - and just then it seemed his life wasn't a big asset to the overall world.

"Shayla, I love you, and I promise I'll find you"


	3. Chapter 3

**Into The Shadows**

Chapter 3: Hey everyone! Let's beat up Potter!

"Excuse me, I'm looking for an apartment building. It's shabby and blue and I believe it's supposed to be in this area of London. Quite a few teenagers live there… um… a redheaded girl. A petite redhead and a frumpy boy with sandy hair – lots of scars? Oh – another boy as well. Longish black hair and a reckless feel to him… Yes! He _does_ run skipping through the streets singing Beach Boys tunes… Down here, you said? Thanks!"

James rounded the corner. The elderly man had been a huge help. He had been searching muggle London for ten hours now. He was hungry, but it didn't really register with his brain – or lack thereof according to Batty. At this point James was so anxious to see Lily that he could barely contain it. He rounded the next corner at a run, only to crash into someone.

"Oh, damn! I _am_ sorry!" James started. The girl had fallen on her stomach and her blonde hair was mussed up and in her face. He helped her up. Then he began to babble, "I was in quite a hurry, you see, and I wasn't really paying attention. This _is_ a tricky corner isn't it? You can't see what's around it until you're already there! Sorry again, I don't know what's come over me! I hope you're not terribly angry. I feel so terrible, and as I said I am in quite a bit of a hurry? Are you alright? You haven't said a word, and if I had been run over by a cheeky boy in the middle of the sidewalk, I would be screaming at how completely irresponsible he is. And I am irresponsible, by the way. My girlfriend was always saying tha—"

"—Oh, I know too well how much of an irresponsible _prat_ you are, James Potter!" the girl screamed.

She wiped her hair out of her eyes, and James nearly had a heart attack right there in the gutters.

"Sweet Merlin! Samantha!" James pulled her into a bone-crushing hug and swung her around in midair. "Sam, I can't believe it's really you! Do you know how long I've been searching these streets? How are you? Where's Lily – is she terribly upset? Oh lord I bet you're all going to kill me! You have no idea how much of a wake-up call I've had this past week! I can't –OOPH!"

Sam had punched James right in the face. James knew then and there that Sirius had taught his girlfriend quite a bit about the art of combat; because James knew that tomorrow he would have quite a shiner.

Sam was fuming at that point. "How dare you start talking to me like that! Do you have any idea – _any at all_ of how much of a filthy _wanker_ you are? Do you now what you've done to us? All of us – _especially _Lily? Go and mess-up someone else's life, would you? Because I have had it!"

James could only grimace. "I-I- Sam, I know… I just – you know!" He recoiled a bit at the look of rage of the girl's face.

"No, I bloody well _don't _know, Potter! And for all that I care, you could go and crawl back into that shit-filled hole where you came from because I'm not taking any crap from you!"

James looked around, and quite a few people were staring, and even a person who lived in a flat across the street had opened his window to view the spectacle he and Sam were making.

"Sam, do you mind if we take this somewhere else?" James asked quietly.

She looked around and nodded. Abruptly, Sam turned on her heel and walked briskly back the way she came from. James stared at her for a few seconds and then shook his head and jogged to catch up with her. They walked silently for a block and then Sam stopped and opened the door of a shabby blue apartment building.

They were silent as they walked all the way up to the apartment. Sam used her wand to open the door and James walked in after her, closing the door behind him. The flat wasn't clean to say the least, but it wasn't completely unsanitary. James thought it was cozy. Sam took a seat at the kitchen table and looked up at James.

"So, I believe that an explanation is in order." She said. James only then noticed how worn-out she looked.

"Are you alright, Sam? Where's Lily?" he asked.

He was quite alarmed when Sam began to cry. "They've left, James." She said, her cheeks wet by that point. "Sirius and Lily – they've left."

"What?" James was in shock. "They've lef – what do you mean?"

"I don't know!" she cried out. "They ran off together sometime last night. I think they… well… you know!"

James shook his head, "No. No way that Sirius would do that to you. Lily I understand, and I deserve whatever's coming to me from her part, but Sirius loves you like nothing else, Sam. I don't believe it."

Sam quietly sobbed once, "Of course, James, but that doesn't disguise the fact that they're not here!"

"Well, no one's here, by the look of it."

"Jill's at St. Mungo's – she's in training there. Shayla has her shift at Gringott's until eight, and last time I checked Remus was still wandering around looking for a job." She sighed. "Sirius and Lily, however have yet to be seen since I went to be last night."

James still couldn't believe it. He turned towards the door and opened it.

"Just where do you think you're going!" Sam shouted at him.

He turned, "To find them." And then he looked at the door, stepped inside the flat once again, closed the door and apparated on the spot.

Sam looked at the empty space where James had been moments before. She then let her head drop onto the table and quietly sobbed.

…

James appeared outside of Potter Manor. This was where he had lived ever since he was eleven. It was located in a small area twenty minutes outside of London by car. The vast estate was well hidden from muggles, so while living there it was no danger using magic. There was a winding path that led up to the front door and three-car garage. James took the steps up to the front door.

He had something to pick up before he went looking for Lily.

When James tried the knob, he was surprised to find it unlocked, but he didn't think on it too much. He wanted to get it quickly. He started up the black marble staircase in the large entrance hall and took it to the second floor. He walked very quickly to the last room on the left and opened the white double door with the bronze handles. The room was pretty much the same since he had been here after the reading of his parents' will. The only difference was that there was a thin sheet of dust on the surfaces in the room. James had sent the two house elves to work at Hogwarts, only because he knew that it was pointless for them to be cleaning a house no one was living in.

The black velvet case was still open on the bed. It was empty, of course, but James had the contents in his pocket, as he had been carrying it around since his parents' deaths. He put the small object back into the case. He was going to do this properly, even if it would end in disaster.

James sighed and sat on the bed. It was dark in the room; the blinds were closed and no lights had been turned on. James nearly jumped out of his seat when he heard someone in the next room over. He pulled his wand out and got ready for a fight, whoever it may be.

He tiptoed into the hallway and then stopped to listen. The people (person?) were (was?) in his room. He restrained himself and just waited in the hallway, listening for anything that would give away their (His? Her?) identities (y?).

Some whispers drifted into the hallway to meet James's ears. "…Searched everywhere… disappeared… Sirius…"

That was all James needed to hear. He half-ran into the room. Then all he could do was stare.

"Sirius… Lily…" he said.

The two other people in the room stopped talking and turned to face him. No one spoke. You couldn't even cut the tension in that room with a knife. The use of a chainsaw was required to break through it. No one moved, Sirius and Lily stared at James with their mouths half-open. James kept looking back and forth between the two. Well, this was surprising.

Sirius was the first one to speak. "Bloody hell… James Potter I'm going to _bloody_ KILL YOU!"

Sirius leaped at James, tackling him to the floor. The two started fist fighting right there in the middle of James's bedroom. On the floor. Sirius had obviously built up a flaming rage at his best friend. It was all James could do to defend himself. James's glasses were knocked off of his face and now Sirius was just a blur.

Not that he wasn't a blur before of course, but now it was only worse.

James eventually stopped defending himself and let his best friend beat him up. Quite, thoroughly, in fact. When Sirius was finished he got up, shaking with anger. James lay there on his stomach for a minute before he pushed himself up, wiping blood from the edge of his mouth. He picked up his glasses and secured them on his face. There was a crack running through the left lens.

James faces Sirius and said, "Good on you, mate."

Then James fisted his hand and punched Sirius in the face as hard as he could possibly muster. A burst of magic accompanied James's flying fist and Sirius was thrown against the wall. Lily screamed.

Sirius hit the wall with a smash and the portrait of James with his parents that hung on the wall gave way and fell to hit Sirius on the head. The boy's eyes closed and his body fell limp. Lily screamed again and rushed to his side. James followed her and began to examine his friend.

"JAMES POTTER YOU PRIG! HOW DARE YOU SHOW YOUR FACE INTO SOCIETY AFTER WHAT YOU DID! I HATE YOUR GUTS YOU GET OUT OF HERE THIS MINUTE! YOU ARE SO FULL OF SHIT I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU! GET THE BLOODY HELL OUT OF MY SIGHT! YOU DISGUST ME!" Lily then proceeded to call James every insulting name under the sun. He never knew that she even possessed such a vocabulary. When she was through James sighed.

"He's definitely got a concussion, and I'm not in much of a right state myself. Well, off to St. Mungo's!" James smiled.

He grabbed Sirius's arm and Lily's shoulder. Then he apparated himself and the other two to the St. Mungo's front desk. The witch there directed them to a nice medi-witch named Healer Summers. She sorted out James in no time and then began working on Sirius.

Healer Summers shook her head. "He's going to be just fine, but he'll need to sleep for an hour or two. You may go out and wait with your pretty friend out there while I get this guy settled." She winked at James. He took it as a dismissal.

When James walked into the waiting room, he saw Lily. He stopped moving and just stared at her for a minute. He never fully appreciated how beautiful she was. The way her sparkling emerald green eyes contrasted beautifully with her dark red hair and ivory skin. James loved each and every freckle that lined the bridge of her nose. All he wanted to do then and there was to kiss every single freckle over and over again. Forever.

James was wrenched from his fantasy when he remembered that she was angry with him. _Right, _ he thought, _I have to fight through her temper first. Joy._

But then Lily put her head in her hands and her hair made a silky veil around her face. From the distance, James could see that her body shook slightly and he knew she was crying. James thought of how him leaving must have affected her. He thought it must have been ten times worse than what he felt when he left, considering that she had no idea… well, he was a filthy prig and James knew that much about himself.

People just kept passing Lily by with no concern. This was a hospital, and there were many reasons for someone to be crying in a hospital, but James knew better. He walked over to Lily and took a seat next to her. He was unsure of what to do or to say for a minute, but he settled on resting a gentle hand on her shoulder.

Lily jerked away from the contact and looked up at James. They just stared into each other's eyes for what seemed like eternity to James. Then a couple of extra tears fell out of Lily's eyes. James reached out and softly wiped them off of her smooth cheek.

"Where've you been, James?" Lily said softly.

"Looking for myself." He replied. James leaned his forehead against hers and breathed in her lovely scent. His hand wound around to the back of her neck and he kissed her lips softly. He lingered there for a moment when she didn't push away, and then pulled away from her. "Damn it, Lily, why'd you have to go off and have an affair with Sirius?"

Lily's eyes widened in shock, "What do you mean 'go off and have an affair with Sirius'?"

James's eyebrows raised, "I was with Sam an hour or so ago, and she said that you two had run off together."

Lily chuckled. "Yes, we did. To look for you," she smiled.

"Look for me?" James asked.

"Yes you great prat, and I'll never forgive your running off like that!" She gave James a firm slap across the cheek.

James grinned, oblivious to the fact that everyone seemed to want to hit him. "Hah! Well… Lily, I know you're pretty furious with me at the moment, but believe this when I say that I hadn't an inkling to what I was really doing." He pulled the velvet case from his pocket. "But… I do know what I'm doing now."

James got up from his chair and got down on one knee in front of Lily.

"Lily Evans, will you marry me?"

**A/N:**_ Okay, we know that it has been a VERY long time, but we would appreciate it if no one threw any sharp objects… or rotten food… because that's just nasty. School is all finished now, so we have all the time in the world to devote to this fanfiction. It will be finished, we promise. Don't forget to review!_


	4. Chapter 4

**Into The Shadows**

…

_Previously in __Into the Shadows__:_

_James grinned, oblivious to the fact that everyone seemed to want to hit him. "Hah! Well… Lily, I know you're pretty furious with me at the moment, but believe this when I say that I hadn't an inkling to what I was really doing." He pulled the velvet case from his pocket. "But… I do know what I'm doing now."_

_James got up from his chair and got down on one knee in front of Lily._

_"Lily Evans, will you marry me?"_

…

Chapter 4: Danger Ahead

This was not fair.

In fact, Lily was ready to make it official that this had to have been the least fair event that has ever occurred in this cruel world we're all living in. It's funny when one looks back on their lives. Just think of how many injustices had happened to you. Lily was looking back just then. Of course, most of her memories of injustices have included one James Potter in them.

.

_Lily was sitting in Transfiguration class sometime during her second year at Hogwarts. There was something that kept touching her hair throughout the period. It was getting very annoying. She finished copying down the notes on the board and turned around to see just what was going on._

_Of course._

_It just had to be James Potter._

_For a boy of twelve, he had unusually long attention span. Such a shame that it had to be on the exact wrong thing. Lily narrowed her eyes and Potter looked dumbstruck for a moment. Then he smiled a cheeky grin and said, "Hey Evans."_

_Lily fumed, "Hello, Potter. Just what do you think you are doing to my head?"_

_"Just admiring it. You have lovely hair."_

_Lily was taken aback by that comment. Potter liked – _admired_ her hair? She would have been flattered if Potter wasn't smirking so horribly. Glaring, she returned her attention to her dilemma. _

_"Nevertheless, Potter, keep your hands _out _of it!"_

_"Miss Evans!" Lily's head shot around to the front of the classroom. It was McGonagall. Shoot. _

_"Yes Professor?" Lily asked._

_"No talking in my class! Five points from Gryffindor!"_

_Lily felt the eyes of everyone on the room. She just knew that Potter was grinning like nothing else behind her. Blood rushed to her cheeks and she sank lower into her chair. She wouldn't talk to Potter again – ever!_

_._

_Fourth year Herbology was even more difficult than Lily had expected it to be. Still, she was faring better than most of the students in her class. That day they were trying to wrestle the bulbs out of a spewing cactus-like plant. In other words, if you weren't careful, you would be hit with a stream of acidic pus. Three other students had already been taken out of class._

_She was partnered with Emmeline Vance that day. Emmeline was holding the plant down whilst Lily attempted to retrieve the bulb. It required precision. It required an unyielding concentration that few in that room possessed. Oh, yes, Lily was planning of getting some points for her house that day._

_Okay… Lily almost had it. She was so close… yes… okay she—_

"_Hey Evans! Go out with me?"_

_Lily looked at where the voice was coming from. Potter!_

_Suddenly a foul-smelling liquid hit Lily right in the face. She was knocked off of her feet and then lay on her back on the greenhouse floor. Lily was dazed for a moment, but then sharp-shooting pain erupted all over her face._

"_Lily!" she heard Emmeline shout. "Professor Sprout, Lily got hit!"_

"_Oh dear, that's the fourth one! Miss Vance, please get her up to the Hospital Wing – quickly! It's very painful."_

_Lily was hauled up to her feet by an unfamiliar hand. "Evans, you alright?" It was Potter, Lily knew for sure. She didn't respond, however because she was in tears due to the pain the pus was causing her._

_Emmeline too her arm and led her out of the greenhouse. She heard the Professor speak back in the greenhouse. "Mr. Potter! You and Mr. Black – excellent work! Three bulbs already! Twenty points to Gryffindor!"_

_Lily continued to cry. This was his entire fault._

.

Plenty of other similar memories flew through Lily's mind at that moment.

Then there were other memories. These also included James Potter; their first kiss; the day she had agreed to go out with him; Halloween of seventh year; the dance; breaking up with him (this one had a great deal of sadness); getting back together; the day his parents died; him leaving; the letter…

Fresh tears spilled out of Lily's eyes. How could one boy make her feel so many opposite feelings at once? She hated him. She loved him. He disgusted her. He attracted her like nothing else. He hurt her…

But she was hurt without him.

Lily nodded. "Yes." James looked shocked.

"Huh?"

"I'll marry you. You're the biggest prat I have ever met and god know why, but I'll marry you." Lily told him. "Now give me the ring! I don't want this to have been for nothing."

James was smiling from ear to ear. He got up – it was more of a jump, actually – and placed the delicate ring on Lily's finger.

"This was my mother's…" He said.

Lily smiled. The ring was beautiful. It was a silver band with a round-cut diamond in the middle with emeralds on wither side. She looked up at her fiancé – hah, fiancé. This was new.

James leaned down and touched his lips with hers. It was soft and gentle and romantic. The kiss deepened and soon enough they were making out in the middle of the hospital waiting room. People began to applaud them. They broke apart and smiled. It was a happy moment.

"Hey everyone!" James shouted. He got up to stand on one of the chairs. "Everyone! This beautiful young woman has agreed to marry me – I don't have an idea why, but she has! Let this be known as the happiest day of my life!"

Lily was crying tears of joy as she climbed on the chair next to him and kissed him again. People were cheering them on. A healer cam out of one of the hospital room and told everyone to be quiet. Then she shouted, "No, standing on the chairs, for Merlin's sake!"

…

"…Engaged?"

"Yup, engaged."

"Well, that sounds final, then."

"Looks like it."

"…Hear the Tornadoes are top in the league again?"

"No! Really? Figures…"

"Yeah."

"…We should go and see a match."

"Cool."

"Awesome."

"Totally."

"…"

"…"

"Er…"

"Oh you two boys! You're both prats!" Lily exclaimed.

She and James had gone behind a large potted fern on the second floor and had quite a lot of… fun after the healer had shouted at them. When Sirius was released they had met him in the lobby. He and James had stared at each other for a minute or two and then James had told Sirius about proposing. They had that little exchange and then there they were.

Sirius wore a sad smile, "Finally come to your senses then mate?"

"Yes." James replied with an equal expression. "And… well, I'll be needing a best man, won't I?"

"You know it." Sirius held out his hand. James looked at it and then clasped it with his. The two embraced, clapping each other on the back a few times. When they broke apart they were both wearing identical grins.

"So, let's head back to the flat." Lily said sensibly.

"You guys go ahead." James told them. "There's something I need to take care of, first. I'll meet you there in a couple of hours."

Lily's eyes widened. James hastily added, smiling, "I promise, my love, that I will come back this time."

Her expression softened. "I love you."

"I love you, too." James said.

"And you both love me more." Sirius added.

The other two rolled their eyes. "See you later." James said, and then he apparated away.

"Lily-love, I have a dilemma." Sirius said, with an ominously grave expression.

"What is it?" Lily asked anxiously.

"I am absolutely and indescribably famished, my dear."

She sighed, rolling her eyes. "Let's go eat, then. Or rather, I'll watch you pig out – I'm not hungry right now." Lily said.

Lily was still floating on a cloud. She was engaged – _engaged_ – to James Potter! He was her fiancé – she was his. These had been the happiest few hours of her life. Now she would star a new phase in her life – hopefully one for the better. She closed her eyes and silently prayed. _Please,_ she said,_ please let us be happy._

…

Sirius and Lily went to the same café near their apartment where they discussed going on their quest to find James. Now he had found them. Sirius pigged-out like nothing else. "I was just almost punched to death!" he said, that being his only excuse. Lily had rolled her eyes again.

Now they walked into the fat. It was about half past seven and when they walked in a figure was sitting at the small kitchen table. It was very dark, so they couldn't tell. "…Sam?" Sirius said. Lily flicked the light switch on the wall and they discovered that it was indeed, Sam at the table. However, it was a very furious Sam at the table.

"YOU BASTARDS! HOW DARE YOU SHOW YOUR FACES HERE AGAIN?" Sam shouted. She leapt up from her seat and tackled Lily to the ground, grabbing her thick red locks and pulling. Lily screamed.

Sirius was dazed for a moment. "Sam! Stop that now!" He desperately tried to separate the two struggling girls, but physical intervention was not going to work.

He took out his wand and cast a shield charm around Lily. Sam was pushed off of Lily and sat on the floor for a minute, taking deep breaths. Lily pushed herself to a standing position. She rubbed her abuse scalp with her right hand, letting her left fall to her side in Sam's line of sight.

"You… you-you're ENGAGED?" Sam cried in despair and anger. She got up. No one said anything. At the moment Lily began to say something and James walked into the flat.

"Hey everyone…" he said, sensing the tension in the room.

"Show you how it feels." Sam murmured. She ran to James and jumped on him, wrapping her legs around his waist and kissing him passionately. He pushed her away immediately, but she held on to the back of his head with her hands and to his waist with her legs. She was like a vice. Lily then ran out of the room in tears.

Sirius intervened again, this time by stunning Sam. James caught the suddenly limp body in his arms and handed it to Sirius.

"Bloody _crazy_, mate." James told Sirius, who nodded vigorously in agreement. "I suppose, I'll go and see Lils, then." James continued, and then left the room.

Sirius laid Sam on the table. He looked at her face, so peaceful in her forced slumber, yet she looked sad. Sam had a stressed look around her eyes. How could she think that he would cheat on her? Sirius was very angry with his "girlfriend" right now. He sighed and reversed the stunning spell.

Sam blinked a few times and then looked around she sat up on the table. She and Sirius met eyes and they both glared at each other.

"Congratulations then." Sam spat out.

Sirius was confused, "For what?"

"For your engagement, you two-timing bastard!"

Sirius looked shocked for a moment and then realized what Sam was talking about. He shook his head in pity.

"We obviously have some serious trust issues to work out, Samantha." He said.

Sam glared. "'We' have nothing to work out, wanker! You're having a bloody wedding!"

"Yes, and I'm sure James and Lily are going to make a fantastic husband and wife."

Sam recoiled. "Lily… and J-James?"

…

Meanwhile James had been trying to get into Lily's room. She had locked herself inside and wasn't letting anyone in with her. He had given up by this point and was trying to decide how to get into the room without his fiancé's help.

James walked into the room to the left of Lily's and surveyed the space. He looked out of the open window into the humid summer air. He could see Lily's window to his right. Hmm, if he could somehow scale the outside of the building… he might be able to make it into Lily's room. The window was open, thank the lord, or else something like this would be stupid…er.

Sitting on the windowsill with his feet hanging outside, James contemplated how exactly he was going to do this. He cast levitation charms on his feet and sticking charms on the wall that led to Lily's window where he would put his hands. He had to act very quickly. Those charms weren't going to hold for very long. Without dwelling on it, James hoisted himself out of the window.

It required a lot of strength. The main element that was keeping him from plummeting to his death was the sticking charm on the building; he needed to use his arms to keep his body up, clinging to the wall. His levitation charms were easing the strain a bit, but on their own James would have fell. With a sudden bust of adrenaline, James scaled the six feet of wall and threw his feet into Lily's open window.

He barely made it inside. His landing was rough and he stumbled and fell face-first onto the wooden floor. James groaned and just lay there for a moment. His arms burned from the ordeal he put them through and he would have a lump on his forehead from hitting in on the ground. James sighed and pushed himself up gently. Looking around, he nearly gasped at what he saw.

Lily was there on her bed. Lily was huddled in the corner of her bedroom. Arms wrapped around her legs and chin resting on her knees she laid there with some sort of enchanted light-emanating crystal. She looked into the crystal's depths, almost afraid to look at James.

James approached the bed and when he touched her shoulder, however, she welcomed him into a warm embrace. She was crying.

"Now, now Lily, it will be alright." He consoled her

She sobbed once, "How could she think that?" James rubbed her back. "She's been my best friend since first year – I've shared a room with her at Hogwarts for seven years! I share a flat with her, for Merlin's sake!" Lily continued, crying.

James pulled away and then kissed her softly. He then hugged her again, stroking her long locks of hair. "I love you, Lily. Everything is going to be okay."

Lily leaned her head into the crevice next to his shoulder. "I love you, too." She said, and then she chuckled, "And come on, me and _Sirius?_"

James laughed. Then he looked at the discarded crystal. He pulled out of their embrace and picked up the glowing object. "What's this, Lily?"

Lily looked guilty. "I've kind of gotten afraid of the dark… and I didn't want to disturb anyone during the night… so I got that. I haven't really been sleeping."

"I can say the same." James admitted. "And it's my fault." He pulled something out of the large pocket of his cloak.

"Oh Pooky," Lily breathed. She took the little stuffed animal and cradled it to her chest. "I've missed this guy."

James smiled. "I'm sorry for taking him… he ought to smell a lot, and he's in a right state, as I'm sure you can tell. He's kept me company during my sleepless nights."

"Well, I'm glad he was of some use." Lily told him. There was a very loud noise; sort of like a recording of an earthquake.

"What was _that?_" Lily asked

"Uh… well…" James started, rubbing his abdomen. "I haven't really eaten anything today."

"At all?" Lily asked in shock. James shook his head. "Well, go off and raid the fridge; I'll be waiting here."

Lily flung herself so that she was lying on her back. Pooky was still cradled to her chest and James smiled at the sight.

"I'll be back in a nip." James said, and he exited the room.

…

"Yes!" Sirius said, throwing his arms in the air. He then pointed his fingers at Sam, "And I can't believe you! I've told you I love you on a daily basis! And then Lily and I go off to look for James and you accuse me of bloody cheating on you!"

Sam flinched at these words. "I head you two talking. You just said you were leaving, and then you two bloody hugged each other! What was I supposed to think?"

"You weren't supposed to 'think' anything!" Sirius exclaimed. "You were supposed to come and ask me what was going on – or ask Lily. I mean, she's you best friend, Sam! You've been with her longer than you and I have. I can't believe what you just did here! You unnecessarily hurt her without even waiting for an explanation. You haven't trusted anyone in this situation and… I don't know if I can forgive you for this."

James walked into the kitchen at that moment. He stopped and looked around. "Sorry…"

Sam looked away as a tear rolled down her cheek. Sirius had an unwavering hard expression on. "I think I'll go out for a walk… fresh air," Sam said. She walked out of the flat without a second glance.

Sirius and James were left in the kitchen, alone. "You alright, mate?" James asked.

"No, and I don't think I will be for a while, yet." The boy replied. He sat down at the table and laid his head down.

…

Sam walked briskly through the streets of London. She wasn't alone I was just barely eight o'clock and there were cars rolling by and a few people walking beside her. The air was humid and streetlights illuminates Sam's path. She kept walking.

Sam stopped around the corner from the flat. There was a metal bench there and since there was only a sleeping man on one side of it, Sam took the liberty of sitting on the opposite. She plopped herself down and tucked a strand of hair behind her right ear.

"…Samantha?"

Sam looked to her right. The seeping man had awoken and was now speaking to her. It was very dim, as the sun had set already and Sam didn't recognize him at first.

"Peter Pettigrew?"

"Sam! It _is_ you!" Peter said.

Sam was shocked. "Peter, where've you been? What happened to you? None of us have seen you since school let out. Shayla's been in a right state because of you!"

Peter flinched at those words. "I've been very busy, and it's quite a long story. But it ends with me here on this street with nowhere to go." Lying came quite easily to Peter now. It was an acquired talent.

"Well, I could show you the flat, of course… but I suppose it's best if you go inside alone. They're not very happy with me at the moment."

"That would be great, Sam." Peter smiled. Everything was going fantastically. Peter got up and stretched his arms over his head. The sleeve of his shirt rode up on his forearm.

"Peter…" Sam said. Before he could stop her she grabbed his left arm. "You're a—"

"—_Stupefy!_" Peter exclaimed after her grabbed his wand. He cursed and Sam fell to the ground. He would have to wait a while longer to get to Shayla.

_Sigh._ Now he would have to give Sam to the Dark Lord. She knew that he was a Death Eater. It had been a careless mistake on his part, and he would be punished greatly for it. Hopefully Voldemort would find a use for Sam and not hurt Peter too terribly. It would even maybe help lure Potter to him… maybe.

Peter knelt down and grabbed a hold on Sam's shoulder. Then he apparated away with a _pop._

...

**A/N: **_See? We didn't lie when we said we'd be posting quicker! Sucks for Peter, right? Yeah, he's pretty screwed up right now. Poor James, too - he hasn't gotten to eat throughout this whole chapter :P This chapter is REALLY long isn't it? The text is 3,500 words almost. It's relative to the others, of course. Don't forget to review!!_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Something to Worry About**

Previously in _Into the Shadows:_

"_That would be great, Sam." Peter smiled. Everything was going fantastically. Peter got up and stretched his arms over his head. The sleeve of his shirt rode up on his forearm._

"_Peter…" Sam said. Before he could stop her she grabbed his left arm. "You're a—"_

"—Stupefy!_" Peter exclaimed after her grabbed his wand. He cursed and Sam fell to the ground. He would have to wait a while longer to get to Shayla._

…_He would have to give Sam to the Dark Lord…_

_._

_.._

…

_.._

_._

"My lord… I have not…"

"_Crucio!_"

Peter writhed on the forest floor in indescribable agony. His body bent in ways that he had not known was possible. In the past months he had come to know to expect this punishment, but there was no way to prepare for it. Every time the pain seemed new, deeper, as if a different spell were being used by his… master.

When the spell was lifted and Peter finished screaming, the victim looked at the Dark Lord. He was smiling in a self-satisfied way. Voldemort enjoyed putting people through pain. He enjoyed watched them writhe and hearing them scream. More often than not he enjoyed watching them beg for him to stop… and then watching them die.

"My lord, I have not brought you the same girl, but I have another useful one." Peter managed to say, although his throat felt cut to ribbons.

Voldemort rose from his granite throne. Peter watched in anxiety as he the Dark Lord circled him and then stopped at Sam's still-stunned body on the ground not far away. He lifted his foot and brushed her cheek with the bottom of his boot.

"Such a pretty girl…" He sneered. "What use is she to me?"

Taking a deep, shuddering breath, Peter said, "She is romantically involved with James Potter's best friend, sir. She could be used as bait to lure him here."

Walking back to his throne, Voldemort's face remained impassive. "An excellent idea, Wormtail."

Peter had almost sighed in relief before Voldemort continued. "But still not what I had asked of you. _Crucio!_"

It felt as if acid burned Peter's body from the inside out that time. It was new, and, as always, very, very painful. Still, what choice had Peter? Stop the Dark Lord? Peter lay on the floor panting by the time the punishment was over. He didn't realize that Voldemort had levitated Sam's body next to his until he had found the strength to push himself into a sitting position.

"Let's have some fun, shall we? _Rennervate._"

Sam's eyes slowly opened. She didn't move for a moment, but then her eyes widened and she jumped up, sitting like Peter on the cold ground. She made to reach for her wand, but Voldemort had already taken it from her.

"Samantha, is it?" Voldemort asked, smiling.

Sam gaped, wide-eyed at him. Peter could tell that she wasn't prepared for this. Nobody would suspect him, little Peter, of turning spy in this war. Peter almost chuckled no one thought that he could cause any damage; that he could pose a threat to anyone.

Still smiling, Voldemort let out a cackling laugh. "You've brought a very eloquent one, Wormtail."

"Filthy bastard!" Sam shouted. Then she spat at his feet.

At that moment, Sam turned her head to meet eyes with Peter. The boy almost recoiled at her expression. Her bright blue eyes dimmed and seemed to say "Why Peter?" He had to look away. He had never felt guiltier in his life as he did at that moment.

"Now, dear girl, I believe this is the point where we show you how we welcome outsiders… _Crucio!_"

Peter winced as Samantha began to scream. It seemed endless. He never once looked at her. He didn't think he could bear to watch her writhe in pain. The screams were enough to give him nightmares for a year. Voldemort spent longer on Samantha than he did on Peter. He repeatedly cast the spell over and over.

When he finally stopped, Samantha started to cough up blood on the ground. With the red liquid still dripping from her lips, she stared at her adversary. Not breaking eye contact, Sam shakily stood up.

"You are of no use to me." Voldemort sneered. "_Avada Kedavra!_"

A burst of green light shot from Voldemort's wand, hitting Samantha right in the chest and blasting her off of her feet. Her now dead body landed on its back, spread-eagled on the forest ground. Her honey blonde hair was partially covering her face, but Peter could see that her eyes were still open.

"Very well, Wormtail. Your mistake has made me re-think my plans. You may have two months. Use it to reunite yourself with Potter and his friends. Inform me of what the other side is doing."

Peter still looked at Sam's body, but he gulped and bowed before his master. "Yes, my lord."

"I still want you to bring the girl to me."

Peter nodded.

"Dump the body somewhere where people will find it."

"Yes, master."

.

…

.

"Honestly, James, sometimes you're worse than Sirius," Lily scolded. James continued to decimate their meager food supply.

Turning around from the refrigerator with his arms packed full of food, James replied. "Lily?"

The girl rolled her eyes. "Okay, you're not worse than Sirius. But you're very close!" James chuckled and took a seat next to her at the kitchen table.

"It doesn't matter anyway." James said. "I inherited all of my parents' money. It's not a problem."

"James," Lily began to protest, but James cut her off.

"Lily," James said, caressing her hand, which lay on the table. "You have absolutely no idea how many galleons I have in my vault at Gringotts. No idea! What use is it to me if it just sits there while I live off of my best friends in the world… and my fiancé." He smiled at the last part.

Lily reached up and brushed his cheek and then kissed him softly. "We can't just let you pay for everything, James."

Ignoring those words, James also said. "Besides, we won't be living here for long anyway. I plan to force you all to move into the manor."

Lily opened her mouth to argue, but James places a finger over her lips. "Before you start arguing, let me just mention that there would be no rent, no cooking, no cleaning, there is a fully operational floo, and otherwise you could just aparate from there with no problem. And you've seen how large it is! No more sharing rooms or dividing one bathroom amongst six teenagers. How can you refuse that?" James stuck out his lower lip, begging, "Please?"

Laughing, Lily replied. "You had me at the bathroom. Convince everyone else, and we're all set."

James broke out into a wide grin. He kissed Lily quite thoroughly before breaking apart when Sirius walked through the door. "Morning," He mumbled before he shuffled to the couch in the living room and passing out again.

Lily bit her lip in worry. Half-whispering she said, "James I'm worried about him. We haven't heard from Sam in a week. And we all start work tomorrow… "

James had gone to the ministry very early in the morning a few days after Sam had disappeared to beg to get into the auror program. The first people he asked wouldn't budge and said, "try again next year." The ever-determined James went to Alastor Moody, who had worked with his parents and begged again. Moody wasn't a lenient person, but considering James's parents, he told James that if he could test out and complete _all_ of the paperwork by the end of the day, James would be considered for acceptance like everyone else.

He had been very eager to accept these terms and ran to get tested. He passed no problem, of course, but the catch was that the pile of paperwork that Moody handed him was about a foot high and printed in the smallest font James had ever seen in his life.

Running back to the apartment, he and Lily had filed out these papers faster than anything they had ever done in their lives. With only four minutes to spare, James had returned to the Ministry and gave Moody the messy pile of paper with a proud smile on his face. The day acceptance letters went out, he got his along with Lily's, Sirius's, and Sam's.

"I'm worried, too." James admitted to Lily. "Did you just realize that he walked past a kitchen without eating anything?"

"That's a crime for him in itself." Lily said. "And I'm worried about Sam. She hasn't contacted anyone in a week."

"Well, how can you blame her, with what she went through that day?"

"That's not the only thing." Lily said, "We've been getting all of Sam's mail here. Wouldn't it go to wherever she is now?

James frowned. "I don't know. But that's something to worry about."

The two ate breakfast in silence, each looking and the still, snoring figure on the couch behind them. Sirius looked so serene when asleep. Lily thought it was the only time he was ever at peace, sleeping. When washing the dishes, Lily almost saw a smile grace his lips.

.

…

.

"There you go, Jenny, all patched up." Jill smiled warmly at the five-year-old girl she had just healed. The little blonde had broken her ankle while on the monkey bars at a park.

Jenny had been crying. She sniffed and her lower lip was pushed out a little bit. Jill put her arm around the little girl. "Now, I still want you to take it easy for a few days, try not to jump around on that ankle. Will you do that for me, Jenny?"

"Mmhmm," Jenny nodded.

"Could you help me out a bit, Jenny?" Jill asked.

"How?" Jenny replied.

"Well, you see, I just bought all of this candy, and I simply can't eat it all by myself!" Jill rummaged around in her pockets and pulled out a large pink lollypop.

Jenny smiled widely. "Could you eat this for me, Jenny?" Jill asked, smiling.

"Yup!" Jenny said, taking the lollypop from Jill. "Thank you, Jill!" Jenny kissed Jill on the cheek and skipped over to her mother at the other side of the room.

Healer Uley, Jill's supervisor grinned and gave her thumbs up as Jenny left the room with her mother.

"Great job, Jill!" She said. The healer walked over to give Jill a hug. "You're really a natural healer."

"Thank you," Jill said warmly. "I really enjoy it. And thanks for supervising me today."

"No problem, really." Healer Uley told her. "It's my job." They both laughed.

"Two hours left for you today. It's time for the worst part of being a healer." Uley continued. "Morgue duty."

Jill bit her lip, saying, "I'm sure I'll be fine."

Uley frowned. "Listen Jill, you're very compassionate. It's the kind people like you who have the hardest time of it."

"Thanks." Jill said. "I'll be careful."

The two shook hands before parting in the hallway. Jill made her way down to the basement morgue. It was her first time working down there. There was an awful smell in the hallway, and Jill knew that it probably smelled a thousand times worse in the actual rooms. Jill found herself wishing in was six o'clock and Shayla was waiting in the lobby for her; her shift ended fifteen minutes before hers, so Shayla said she would wait for her.

Jill met the head healer at the morgue in the doorway, Healer Matthews. He was a very tall and heavyset man. It looked like he hadn't smiled in a very long time.

"I'm here for duty." Jill told him.

"Good." Matthews said. His voice was gruff and low. "Go change in there," he pointed to a room across the hall, "and then report to room A1. You'll be working with Healer Gordon in Sidd."

Jill nodded and then went to the indicated room. It didn't smell like anything in there, and Jill wondered why. She put on the thin covering over her clothes, gloves, and grabbed the facemask that people in the morgue wore.

After she changed, Jill walked to room A1. There was a very tall, thin man inside that Jill could see through the window. Wisps of blank-and-gray-streaked hair covered his head. Behind him there were rows of very large shelves with bodies on them. The man was in the midst of levitating a body to lie on one of the shelves when she looked in. There were also two metal tables in the room. Jill involuntarily shuddered.

The man inside turned around and saw her and motioned at his mask. Jill took that to mean that she should put on her facemask, and she did so. Then she turned the knob and entered the room. She immediately felt the…thickness of the air.

"Welcome." The man said. "You're lucky you saw me first. If you hadn't gotten that mask on, you wouldn't be so comfy right now. They're charmed to repel odors. Yuppie, dead bodies wreak like nothing else, let me tell you. Of course, I don't smell like a bundle of flowers myself." The man let out a hearty laugh.

Jill smiled behind her mask. She decided that she liked this man. "Healer Gordon?"

"That's me, but everyone calls me Gordy, so you can, too. You must be…" Gordy walked over beside the door to a sheet on the wall. "Miss Jones."

"Jill, please."

"Jill, then. " Gordy nodded. "Well then, let's get started. Matthews probably said 'Sidd,' but it's really S.I.D.D. and it stands for 'Search, Identify, Determine, and Date.'"

"Oh, well that makes more sense." Jill said.

Gordy laughed. "That it does. Now, we Sidds don't work directly with the hospital. We work mostly with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and the Aurors. People find bodies, usually unconscious or dead and send them here. If they're unconscious and don't make it upstairs, they're sent down here. If they're already dead, they go directly here. We – and you look bright, I'm sure you've figured this out already – search the bodies, identify them, if possible, and then determine the date of death if necessary.

"We've been very busy lately. What with You-Know-Who killing people and dumping the bodies all over Britain."

Jill almost turned green. Gordy noticed and quickly continued, "Don't worry; you probably won't end up working here like me. It's just required for training to spend a minimum of fifteen hours working in the morgue. Plus, the Sidds got it better than the rest of the morgue. Most people just cover, label, and send out."

"Yeah," Jill said softly, "I suppose we do."

Gordy nodded his head in understanding. "It's okay, you only have two hours today. Let's do one together. Behind me on the shelves are completed. The ones floating over there are the ones we need to finish."

He pointed to a corner to the left of the door where pale bodies in hospital gowns floated. There were about twenty of them. They looked as if they were seeping, and Jill let loose a tear as she thought of them. These people once had families, friends – they had lives. But not anymore.

Gordy waved his wand and the top body gently floated over and laid itself on the metal table. This was a man around his mid-thirties with dark brown hair and tanned skin. His arms and legs were bent at odd angles.

"With S.I.D.D. we work backwards., mostly. First we determine the cause of death. Now here, the limbs are obviously broken," Gordy said, "and he obviously hasn't lost blood. Now we check how his internals were working when he died. Following, Jill?"

Jill nodded, "Yes."

"Good," Gordy said. "The incantation to check that is _penitus vita._ And you just wave your wand over the body like this. _Penitus vita,_" He demonstrated the wand motion. Then a gold light enveloped the body. "The gold means that his organs were fine. If it turns red, it means that they weren't, and it'll turn red only in one spot, not all spread-out like this. You can tell which organ it was from where the spot is."

"Okay, I understand." Jill told Gordy.

"Great." The man replied. "Now, with this guy, nothing was wrong except his arms and legs being broken. That's obviously not enough to kill him. I'd say definite killing curse here. You-Know-Who strikes again."

Jill's response was a muffled squeak.

"We get a lot of these here, I'm afraid. The broken limbs means he was tortured before he was killed, most likely." Gordy could sense Jill's discomfort, so he quickly moved on.

"Now we date the body, as in when the person was killed. The incantation for that is _balanus somes._ When it is cast, the body will glow white. The brighter the glow, the more recent the death was. Experienced specialists, like me, can tell at a glance around how long ago the death was, but for newies like you, there's a chart of the door. You try."

"I don't know," Jill said shakily.

"Come on, try it." Gordy said encouragingly.

Taking out her wand, Jill positioned herself in front of the body. Shakily waving her wand, she said, "_Balanus somes._"

The body glowed brightly. Jill was half-blinded by the light before it disappeared. "This man was killed less than twenty-four hours ago, by that light." Gordy said. "Oh! I almost forgot: the paperwork."

Gordy pulled out a drawer that was under the metal table. Inside were paper forms and self-inking quills. Gordy pulled out one of the sheets of paper and wrote down what they had already determined with one of the quills. "You understand, you just write down, in this case, that the limbs are broken, organs working, no blood loss, and then you write down here that it was a killing curse and probable torture. Got it?"

"Yes, I think so." Jill replied.

"Okay, now we continue by searching the body to try and identify it." Gordy stuck his hands inside the man's pockets and pulled out a wallet. Opening it, Jill saw that there were dollar bills inside. "This man was a muggle… with a wife and a couple of little girls." Gordy opened up the wallet more to find a row of pictures with a beautiful woman and the two cutest little blonde girls. "Here's the I.D. His name was Robert Lansing."

Gordy filled out the rest of the form and Jill's eyes watered up. This man had a wife and two daughters! He was just an innocent muggle man caught up in a war he new nothing about. The injustice of it all made Jill want to scream, but she held it in.

"Okay, that's the gist of it. I think you'll be all right. We only have an hour and three-quarters to complete the rest of these bodies. Better get started. Oh – if you can't find a name, just put 'unknown' on the form."

Nodding, Jill moved to the second table in the room and began.

Body after body. Death after death. Jill felt as if a dementor was in the room; all of the happiness she had felt earlier was gone. All of the bodies she first did were of muggles. Gordy then said that Death Eaters had probably raided a muggle village, killing everything in sight.

It seemed like an eternity. But soon there were only five minutes and one body left. "Jill, could you finish up that one? I need to sort through all of these bodies back here." Gordy asked.

"Yeah, sure." Jill said. She levitated the last body to her and brushed the honey blonde hair out of the girl's face.

Jill's wand clattered to the floor. Jill screamed.

"What is it?" Gordy shouted. He ran over to Jill's table. All Gordy saw was the body of a pretty blonde girl.

Jill saw Samantha Brown.

She started sobbing uncontrollably, and Jill also screamed again. Tears streamed down her face. Gordy was alarmed.

"Jill! J-Jill just calm down, okay? Take deep breaths… come on… Okay, never mind, breathing isn't working with you right now… um.. Sit down, here." He conjured a wooden chair for her and eased her into it. She was still hysterical.

Gordy ran into the hallway. People were down the hall.

"You! Hey – yeah, I'm talking to you, shorty! Get me a calming draught! Yes, now – what do you think I'm yelling for? Quickly! Damn teenagers…" He mumbled the last part.

Back inside Jill continued to sob. Was this some sort of sick joke? That couldn't be Sam's – _Sam's _dead body on that table! It just couldn't be. She just wouldn't believe it. But that looked exactly like Sam's favorite shirt… and Sam's bracelet, which Sirius had given her… and Sam's blue eyes still open. So Jill continued to sob.

"Come on out here, Jill, honey. You'll be all right. Drink this up." Gordy led Jill out into the hallway and closed the door behind him. Only then did he take off her mask and gave her a half-dose of calming draught. It was just enough to stop her from sobbing and get her to breath normally.

Immediately the sobs stopped and Jill took one, shuddering deep breath and let in out shakily. She continued to cry and tears till streamed down her face, but she could talk now.

"What happened in there?" Gordy asked, eyes still wide.

Jill took a moment to answer, breathing in deeply. "S-s-samantha B-b-b-b-brown."

Gordy nodded. "Okay, Samantha Brown – is that the girl's name?"

"M-my best fr-friend!" Jill cried, and brought her hands up to cover her face. She didn't believe it.

"Wait here." Gordy said, helping Jill sit down on the floor and then walking back into the room.

Jill brought her knees up to meet her chin and she silently swayed back and forth, back and forth until Gordy came outside and sat next to her.

"Well, er…" he started, unsure of what to do. "She died six or seven days ago… it was probably a lot of cruciatus curses and then the killing curse. Aurors brought her in a few days ago… Jill, I'm so sorry."

The girl didn't respond. For a few minutes, and the two just sat there. Then Jill said, "I think I'll go home now."

"Yes, okay." Gordy replied, helping her up from the ground. "It'll be alright, Jill."

She only nodded in response and walked away. At the end of the hall she just vanished her morgue clothes and trudged up the stairs. She entered the lobby and almost didn't see Shayla waiting while reading the evening _Prophet_. Seeing her friend made the reality of Sam's death more real, and Jill burst into tears once again.

"Shayla!" Jill shouted, running to her. The other girl barely had time to throw aside the paper and stand up before Jill jumped on her, wrapping her arms around Shayla's neck.

"Jeel! What ees zee matter?" Shayla asked, rubbing Jill's back gently.

"Oh, Shay! It's horrible." Jill cried, letting out a few sobs.

Shayla and Jill broke apart, the former putting her hands on the other's shoulder. "Tell me, Jeel, what 'as 'appened?"

Starting another onslaught of tears, Jill cried, "Samantha's dead!"

.

…

.

**A/N:**_This was the hardest chapter we have ever had to plan/write. Wahhh. Don't kill us._

_Kiki: Okay, I will just say that I am now the House Elf of the other half of Hogshire, Emily. She is my master and nothing will ever change that, I owe her my LIFE!! "grovel"worship"grovel"grovel"worship"hug"kiss"worship"bow"yaddahyaddahyaddah"_

_Emily: Kiki is such a great house elf name, anyway. It's perfect._

_-grovel-_

**Please Review!**


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